Display glass containers



July 26, 1966 5 A. WEBER 3,262,746

DISPLAY GLASS CONTAINERS Filed sept. 1s, 196s /NVSNTbRz ALBe-zrmasas/2,

United States Patent O 3,262,746 DISPLAY GLASS CONTAINERS Albert Weber, Morgenstrasse, Wetzikon, Switzerland Filed Sept. 13, 1963, Ser. No. 308,743 Claims priority, application Switzerland, Sept. 24, 1962, 11,301/ 62 6 Claims. (Cl. 312-140.3)

The invention relates to displays and relates more particularly to display containers having outer glass walls and inner glass partitions, and relates still more particularly to such containers which may be mounted on tables or counters.

Containers of this type now in use give rise to troubles in connection with theV holders of the glass partitions: many of these holders include laterally projecting parts which hinder the easy exchange of wares from the container.

It is accordingly -among the principal objects of the invention to provide a container of this type which is free from the difficulties that had been experienced with recent containers.

It is another object of the invention to provide a container the parts of which substantially are free from laterally projecting parts, thereby facilitating the exchange of wares to and from the interior of the container.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following specification and in part will be obvious therefrom without being specifically referred to, the same being realized and attained as pointed out in the claims hereof.

For a fuller understanding of the nature vand objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken on the line X-X of FIGURE 2, of a container in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view thereof, partly in section;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of a channel member shown in FIGS. l and 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line IV-IV of FIG. 2, but yomitting the glass pane;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of a partit-ion holder shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the holder of FIG. 5

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of a corner piece shown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 8 is an end elevational view of FIG. 7.

In carrying the invention into effect in one of the embodiments which has been selected for illustration in the accompanying drawings and for description in this specification, -and referring now particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is provided a display container with glass wa-lls and glass partitions. The container includes a frame F which comprises a plurality of U-shaped members or channel members 1. The frame F may be secured by any suitable well known means such as, for instance by screws (not shown), to the top of a display table or counter T. The channel members 1 adjoin each other endwise.

There may be four channel members 1, forming right angled corners as shown in FIG. 2, for a rectangular frame F. There may, however, instead be more than four channel members 1 that form the frame F, in which event the corner angle may be different from a right angle. Thus, the plurality of channel members 1 may comprise four, or more than four, channel members 1 without departing from the invention save as limited in the claims hereof.

of the corner piece 3,262,746 Patented July 26, 1966 As best shown in FIG. 3, each channel member 1 includes an inner wall 1a and an outer wall 1b, and defines an elongated upright chamber 1c that is open at both longitudinal ends and on top. As best shown in FIG. 2, the ends of each channel member 1 are so shaped, for instance at 1a', that the engagement of the adjacent channel member 1 will be in accordance with the polygonal corner angle as determined by the number of channel members 1 of the frame F.

The external upper wall of the container is formed by gla-ss sheets 2 which are supported in the chambers 1c.

Each channel member 1 defines on its inner wall 1a a plurality of upright grooves 3. Holders 4 (FIGS. 5, 6) are provided for holding -a glass partition 5 in upright position. Each holder 4 forms on its lower end a bifurcation or fork 4b that includes a tine 4a. As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, when the holder 4 is emplaced on a channel member 1, the fork 4b of the holder 4 will engage the inner wall 1a in such a manner that the tine 4a wil-l rest in one of the upright grooves 3 of the channel member 1.

A plurality of corner pieces 11 (FIGS. 7, 8) is provided; for each channel member 1 the frame F includes one corner piece 11.

Each corner piece 11 comprises a head section 6a and two anges or flange sections 6, and both anges 6 are integral with the head section 6a. The head section 6a has two angularly offset flat surfaces 6c, and each flange 6 projects from one of said at surfaces 6c. The angle that is formed between the surface-s 6c is the same as the angle between the flanges 6, and the same las the corner angle between two adjoining channel members 1 in the frame F.

In the instant exemplification, four channel members 1 and four corner pieces 11 are used, and the corner angle which .is the same as the angle between the flanges 6 and between the surfaces 6c, as shown in FIG. 2, is 90.

A round -surface 6b extends between the flat surfaces 6c and, as best shown in FIG. 2, forms the round corner face of the frame F.

In assembly, as best shown in FIG. 2, the end of each outer Wall 1b at Ione corner abuts against a flat surface 6c of the corner piece 11. For that purpose, the outer wall 1b terminates at a surface angled so as to facilitate such abutment, again depending on the corner angle; in accordance with the instant exemplication, they form an angle of The flanges 6 will be positioned adjacent the ends of the outer walls 1b. Each ange 6 has a threaded hole 7, and each outer wall 1b has a hole which in the assembly position will be aligned with the hole 7 of a flange 6. A screw 8 is positioned in the aligned holes, at each flange 6, to complete the rigid frame F.

The outer wall 1b defines an external horizontal groove 9 that, as best shown in FIG. 3, may be dovetail shaped at the top and bottom. An elongated band member 10 may slidingly be positioned in the groove 9, and may include a label or other identifying intelligence, or serve a decorative purpose.

Two holders 4 will be needed 'for each partition 5, the holders 4 being positioned at opposite channel mornbers 1.

Certain of the advantages of the invention have already `been herein referred to. It may be useful, how. ever, to allude particularly at this point to the advantage of the instant invention of building a frame F having a smooth outer surface free from any protrusion. Furthermore, the corners of the frame F are rounded, at 6b. Lastly, neither the partition holder 4 nor the grooves 3 provide for any objectionable projection of the type that could protrude into the path of putting in or taking out wares to be displayed in the container. Yet, the connection between the holder 4 with its tine 4a that engages 3 a groove 3 gives sufficient support for holding steady the partition 5.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to be secured by Letters Patent, isV as follows:

1. A display container having outer wall glass sheets and at least one glass partition, comprising in combination a plurality of endwise adjoining channel members, a plurality of corner pieces, each corner piece being operable to be inserted between two channel members and to `be connected thereto, the interconnected channel members and corner pieces completing a frame, each channel member dening an upright elongated chamber open on top adapted to receive and to hold nprightly a glass sheet and including an inner wall defining on the inner surface a series of upright internal grooves, each groove being entirely open on top and bottom and terminating above the lcha-rnber bottom, said inner wall having a smooth outer surface, and a holder including a lower end operable to clamp said inner wall of a channel member at a groove thereof and adapted to hold a glass partition in upright position.

2. A display container, as claimed in claim 1, each channel member dening an elongated external groove, and an elongated band member operable for slidingly engaging said external groove.

3. A display container, as claimed in claim 1, said holder including a bifurcation at the lower end adapted to surmount said inner wall of the channel member, said bifurcation comprising two opposite members engaging therebetween said inner wall, one of said members forming a tine operable to t into and to engage one of said internal upright grooves.

4. A display container, as claimed in claim 1, each corner piece comprising a head section and two anges integral with said head section, means operable for releasably connecting each flange to one of the channel members adjacent thereto, each head section having two angularly olset flat surfaces operable for receiving in abutment the ends of said adjacent channel members and having between said flat surfaces a rounded external sur- :face forming a rounded corner face of said frame.

5. A display container, as claimed in claim 4, said frame being rectangular, said fiat surfaces and said anges being offset from each other for a right angle.

6. A chan-nel member, for use in supporting inside a glass sheet and outside with the aid of a holder a glass partition, comprising a U-shaped elongated body defining la chamber open at both longitudinal ends and open on top for receiving said glass sheet, said body including an inner wall having on its inner surface a series of internal upright grooves spaced from each other horizontally, each entirely open above and below and each commencing and terminating above the chamber bottom, and adapted to support a partition holder, and having a smooth outer surface.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 261,919 8/1882 Gibbons 312-140X 1,631,718 6/1927 Campbell 312-40 1,706,345 3/1929 Bleakley 312-140.3 X 1,818,404 8/1931 Kaufman 312-140.3 X 1,846,862 2/1932 Guthrie 312-140 1,915,046 6/1933 Bales 'S12- 140.3 2,030,730 2/1936 Wilson 52-624 2,081,023 5/1937 Teach 312-140X 2,120,653I 6/1938 Sligrer 312-140.3 2,135,000 11/1938 Croiuch 20-92 2,294,068 8/ 1942 Budington 40--64 2,529,826 1l/1950 Walker 3l2-140.3 X 2,743,148 4/1956 Tedaldi 312-140.3 2,820,684 1/1958 Zadek 312-140 X 2,942,924 6/ 1960 Stangert 312-140.4 3,004,814 10/1961 Schulze 312--140.3 X 3,027,213 3/1962 Weber 312-140.3

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Examiner.

A. FRANKEL, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A DISPLAY CONTAINER HAVING OUTER WEALL GLASS SHEETS AND AT LEAST ONE GLASS PARTITION, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A PLURALITY OF ENDWISE ADJOINGIN CHANNEL MEMBERS, A PLURALITY OF CORNER PIECES, EACH CORNER PIECE BEING OPERABLE TO BE INSERTED BETWEEN TWO CHANNEL MEMBERS AND TO BE CONNECTED THERETO, THE INTERCONNECTED CHANNEL MEMBERS AND CORNER PIECES COMPLETING A FRAME, EACH CHANNEL MEMBER DEFINING AN UPRIGHT ELONGATED CHAMBER OPEN ON TOP ADAPTED TO RECEIVE AND TO HOLD UPRIGHTLY A GLASS SHEET AND INCLUDING AN INNER WALL DEFINING ON THE INNER SURFACE A SERIES OF UPRIGHT INTERNAL GROOVES, EACH GROOVE BEING ENTIRELY OPEN ON TOP AND BOTTOM AND TERMINATING ABOVE THE CHAMBER BOTTOM, SAID INNER WALL HAVING A SMOOTH OUTER SURFACE, AND A HOLDER INCLUDING A LOWER END OPERABLE TO CLAMP SAID INNER WALL ON A CHANNEL MEMBER AT A GROOVE THEREOF AND ADAPTED TO HOLD A GLASS PARTITION IN UPRIGHT POSITION. 